A sudden attack of dizziness or vertigo can be extremely uncomfortable, or in the wrong situation, dangerous. Dizziness can manifest as occasional attacks of moderate to intense dizziness with particular movements or situations, or it can be a consistent lower-grade dizziness that bothers you through the day or night.
There are many causes of dizziness and vertigo, and your physiotherapist can assess and treat many of these.
A disturbance in your inner ear can cause movement related dizziness. The official name of this is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), but will often be referred to as having issues with crystals in your inner ear. This can occur after an illness or fall, or sometimes will occur with no clear mechanism. Your physiotherapist can take you through a quick series of tests to see if your inner ear is causing your dizziness, and then another series of movements that will often help with a quick improvement to this condition. If this movement is effective for you, a few repeat performances of this manoeuvre in the clinic or at home can often completely resolve your dizziness.
Poor coordination between your eye movements and vestibular system can also cause dizziness, often when you’re in a busy environment or watching quick movements such as an action movie or a busy road. Vestibular Ocular-Motor Screening (VOMS) will identify any symptomatic eye movements that could be causing your dizziness, and will guide the treatment program to desensitise each of these eye movements.
Your neck can also contribute to dizziness. Even if you don’t have any neck pain, stiff and tight neck muscles and joints can cause dizziness when you move your neck or when it stiffens up more, such as during sleep or long periods of sitting or standing. A hands-on assessment of your neck will identify stiff and tight spots and can be treated with massage, mobilisation, and neck exercises.
Other, more severe causes of dizziness can be identified by your physiotherapist, who can help you get the correct referral to have it properly assessed and treated.
If you or someone you know complains of dizziness or vertigo, even if occasional or mild, it is good to know that there are treatment options available.
